The black wool flying hat worn by Margaret Hamilton, who played the role of the Wicked Witch of the West, was an iconic movie prop. Not only is this one of the most famous witches in movie history, but she’s also the villain in one of the most famous fantasy films ever made.
And now, some lucky buyer can set it on a precious stand in their living room and stare at it for hours while imagining the magical scenes of the “Wizard of Oz.”
The Peculiar Winkie Costume
Even though in the original book of "The Wizard of Oz," the Winkies only wore yellow, for the MGM musical film of 1939, they wore entirely different outfits.
The costume department for the film thought it would be better to fit the Winkies with striking features and peculiar details to better portray the magical land of Ozian. We’re sure that definitely helped jack up the price when it came to auctioning the costume.
The Wizard of Oz (1939) - The Wicked Witch of the West Hat: $240K
In terms of Hollywood memorabilia and movie props, the original “Wizard of Oz” film has probably sold the most. Dorothy’s red slippers, the Cowardly Lion costume, etc. But one item that doesn’t get as much attention is the hat belonging to the Wicked Witch of the West.
This very unique black hat was sold by the famous auction house Profiles in History in June of 2010 for the high price of $240,000.
The Seventh Seal (1957) - The Chess Set: $150K
The groundbreaking philosophical film “The Seventh Seal” by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman was a landmark moment in cinema history. The historical fantasy film about a medieval knight that tries to save himself from death won critics and audiences worldwide.
The knight, played by actor Max von Sydow, challenges Death to a nail-biting chess game in a fight for his life. In 2009, the famous chess set sold for $150,000 at an auction house in Sweden, which was 50 times more than what was predicted.
The Historic Chess Set
The infamous chess set, made of custom wood and plaster, was the most iconic prop in “The Seventh Seal” since it became a symbol of the battle for life and death against the Grim Reaper himself.
The white king piece broke during filming due to Sydow sweeping his cape across the set and tumbling the pieces, but the set still sold for quite a hefty sum. The chess set now belongs to an anonymous collector that will forever own a historic piece of film history.